Flue systems for fuel burning devices

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a flue gas outlet assembly including a flue gas inlet configured to connect to an exhaust outlet of a fuel burning device, a flue gas outlet, and a flue pipe condensate drain assembly including a condensate inlet, a condensate outlet, and a float valve disposed between the condensate inlet and the condensate outlet, the float valve including a bullet-shaped float, wherein the float valve is biased closed and is configured to open to permit a flow of condensate from the condensate inlet to the condensate outlet upon a sufficient amount of condensate collecting proximate the float valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flue gas outlet assembly comprising:
 a flue gas inlet configured to connect to an exhaust outlet of a fuel burning device;   a flue gas outlet; and   a flue pipe condensate drain assembly comprising:
 a condensate inlet; 
 a condensate outlet; and 
 a float valve disposed between the condensate inlet and the condensate outlet, the float valve comprising a bullet-shaped float, 
 wherein the float valve is biased closed and is configured to open to permit a flow of condensate from the condensate inlet to the condensate outlet upon a sufficient amount of condensate collecting proximate the float valve. 
   
     
     
         2 . The flue gas outlet assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the float valve is disposed at a location offset from a central axis of the flue gas inlet or a central axis of the flue gas outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The flue gas outlet assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the float valve is disposed at a periphery of an internal volume of the flue gas inlet or an internal volume of the flue gas outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The flue gas outlet assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bullet-shaped float is hollow. 
     
     
         5 . The flue gas outlet assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the bullet-shaped float comprises:
 a first end that is open; and   a second end that is closed, the second end having a generally hemispherical shape.   
     
     
         6 . The flue gas outlet assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the condensate outlet is fluidly coupled to a fuel burning device. 
     
     
         7 . The flue gas outlet assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the condensate outlet discharges condensate into a condensate drain of the fuel burning device. 
     
     
         8 . A fuel burning water heater comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a burner disposed within the housing; and 
 a flue gas outlet disposed on the housing and in fluid communication with the burner; and 
   a flue gas outlet assembly affixed directly to the housing of the fuel burning water heater, the flue gas outlet assembly comprising:
 an inlet chamber configured to receive flue gas from the flue gas outlet; 
 an outlet chamber; and 
 a door disposed between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, the door being configured to selectively permit the flue gas to flow between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, 
   wherein the door is configured to bias closed and to open upon a flow of flue gas from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 8 , wherein the flue gas outlet assembly further comprises:
 a flue pipe condensate drain assembly comprising:
 a condensate inlet; 
 a condensate outlet; and 
 a float valve disposed between the condensate inlet and the condensate outlet, 
 wherein the float valve is biased closed and is configured to open to permit a flow of condensate from the condensate inlet to the condensate outlet upon a sufficient amount of condensate collecting proximate the float valve. 
   
     
     
         10 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 9 , wherein the float valve is disposed at a location offset from a central axis of the inlet chamber or a central axis of the outlet chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 9 , wherein the float valve is disposed at a periphery of an internal volume of the inlet chamber or an internal volume of the outlet chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 9 , wherein the float valve comprises a bullet-shaped float. 
     
     
         13 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 12 , wherein the bullet-shaped float is hollow. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 13 , wherein the bullet-shaped float comprises:
 a first end that is open; and   a second end that is closed, the second end having a generally hemispherical shape,   wherein the first end is disposed proximal to the outlet chamber and the second end is disposed distal the outlet chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 8 , wherein the door comprises a plurality of flaps. 
     
     
         16 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 8 , wherein the door is a circular door comprising a semicircular first flap and a semicircular second flap. 
     
     
         17 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 8 , wherein the outlet chamber is fluidly coupled with one or more additional fuel burning devices. 
     
     
         18 . The fuel burning water heater of  claim 8 , wherein the outlet chamber is fluidly coupled with a common vent manifold configured to exhaust flue gas from the fuel burning water heater and one or more additional fuel burning devices. 
     
     
         19 . A water heater system comprising:
 a common vent manifold configured to exhaust flue gas; and   a plurality of fuel burning water heaters, each of the plurality of fuel burning water heaters comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a burner disposed within the housing; and 
 a flue gas outlet disposed on the housing and in fluid communication with the burner; 
 
 a flue gas outlet assembly affixed directly to the housing of at least one of the fuel burning water heaters, the flue gas outlet assembly comprising:
 an inlet chamber configured to receive flue gas from the flue gas outlet; 
 an outlet chamber; and 
 a door disposed between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, the door being configured to selectively permit the flue gas to flow between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber, 
 wherein the door is configured to bias closed and to open upon a flow of flue gas from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber; and 
 
 a flue pipe condensate drain assembly comprising:
 a condensate inlet; 
 a condensate outlet; and 
 a float valve disposed between the condensate inlet and the condensate outlet, 
 wherein the float valve is biased closed and is configured to open to permit a flow of condensate from the condensate inlet to the condensate outlet upon a sufficient amount of condensate collecting proximate the float valve. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The water heater system of  claim 19 , wherein the float valve comprises a bullet-shaped float.